Tool for applying fasteners

ABSTRACT

Tool attachments associated with air tools that force nails or other fasteners into members. The tool attachments are adapted to store, feed and to pivotally mount uniquely formed wing headed fasteners with nails also stored by the tool for releasably holding a first member, such as a cabinet backing in a position relative to a second member such as a cabinet frame therebehind.

O Unlted States Patent 1 1 3,570,738

[72] Inventors Richard W. Pabich [50] Field of Search 227/1, 5, 6, c/0Acme-Lane Co., 4904 W. Fullerton, 7, 8, 21, 48, 76, 120, 130, I53;29/432, 434, 464 Chicago, II]. 60639; E. Louise Treiber, Glenview, 111.60025 [561 References CM [21] Appl. No. 819,517 UNITED STATES PATENTS [2Filed p 1969 2,886,815 5/1959 Young 227/120 1 Patented M8516, 33,194,324 7/1965 Langas 227/8X C9ntInuatI9n-m-part ofappllcation3,278,106 10/1966 13661116161. 227/8 689,939,N9v-24,1967,now PatentNo-3,319,864 5/1967 Adams 227/76 3,429,013, dated Feb. 25, 1969, and acontinuafiomimpan of 777,652, No 21 Primary Examiner-Granville Custer,Jr. 1968, and a continuatiomimpan of Attorney-Alter, Weiss and whltesel800,362, Feb. 12, 1969.

' ABSTRACT: Tool attachments associated with air tools that force nailsor other fasteners into members. The tool at- [54] gy gi g fi gtachments are adapted to store, feed and to pivotally mountrawmguniquely formed wing headed fasteners with nails also stored [52] U.S.Cl 227/8, by the tool for releasably holding a first member, such as a227/120 cabinet backing in a position relative to a second member [51Int. Cl. B271 7/06 such as a cabinet frame therebehind.

PATENTEU m1 6 19m suml or 4 INVENTOR RICHARD w. PABICH LOUISE E. TRE|BERBY. Q

ATTORNEY PATENTEIJ MAR] 6197! SHEET 2 OF 4 INVENTORS RICHARD w. PABICHLOUISE E TREIBER BY ATTORNEYS PATENTED m1 SIS?! 3570.738

sum 3 OF 4 INVFN mun ATTO RNEYS PATENT ED mm s 19?:

SHEU b 0? 4 INVENTO RS RICH ARD W. PABICH LOUISE E TREIBER ATTORNEYSFlEilQ TOOL FOR AFFLG FASTENERS This invention relates to improved toolattachments for mounting wing headed fasteners with a minimum of costand time. This invention is related to the previously filed and sinceabandoned patent application entitled IIVIPROVED WI'NG HEADED FASTENERAND TOOL ATTACHMENT FOR AFPLYING FASTENER, Ser. No. 615,830, filing dateFeb. 13, 1967, as well as previously filed continuation-impartapplication entitledIMPROVED WING IIEADED FASTENER WITI-I TOOLATTACHMENTS AND METHOD FOR AP- PLYING FASTENER," Ser. No. 689,939, filedNov. 24, I967 which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,013 on Feb. 25, 1969,and is a continuation-in-part of the previously filed patent applicationentitled TOOL ATTACHMENTS FOR IMPROVED WING I-IEADED FASTENER ANDMETHODS FOR AP- FLYING FASTENER, Ser. No. 777,652, filed Nov. 21, 1968,and IMPROVED WING HEADED FASTENERS AND TOOL ATTACHMENTS FOR APPLYINGFASTENERS, Ser. No. 800,362, filed Feb. 12, 1969.

For many years the electronics industry, among others, has been facedwith the problem of reassembling imperfect units such as television setsafter the same have been assembled. Of principal concern is thenecessity of removing and thereafter replacing threaded fasteners whichare normally used in fastening the backing members of televisioncabinets, or the like. The cost involved in the operation addsconsiderably to the unit cost of the product being manufactured and thusthere is a definite need for obviating the removal and replacement ofthe threaded fasteners.

Several attempts have been made in the past to remedy this problem byusing fasteners which do not have to be removed from the cabihet inorder to enable removal of the cabinet backings which they secure: suchfasteners do exist and although they obviate problems of removal, it ismore difficult to install these new fasteners than it is to install theold and well-known threaded fasteners.

As explained in the previous applications, my coinventor and I haveobviated the disadvantages attendant with utilizing common threadedfasteners for securing first members, such as cabinet backing members,to second members, such as cabinets, by providing fasteners which enablethe backing of a cabinet to be removed expeditiously without removal ofthe fasteners. In addition, the fasteners can be positioned and appliedautomatically with out new tools and processes thereby obviating thedifficulties involved with initially applying or installing thefasteners. It was thus a primary object of our invention covered underU.S. Pat. No. 3,429,013 to provide new and improved fasteners which canremovably associate a cabinet backing or the like, with a cabinet sothat the backing can be assembled and disassembled with a minimum amountof time and effort. It was a further object of the previous inventionsto-provide new and improved tool attachments to facilitate using theimproved fasteners that removably associate a cabinet backing, or thelike, with a second member such as a cabinet in order that the backingcan be removed from the cabinet without removal of said fastener.

It is an object of this invention to provide new attachments for an airtool to thereby adapt the tool especially for the new and improvedfasteners. The attachments enable the new and improved fasteners to beassociated with members at a predetermined location 'with respect to keyslots in those members, with even greater facility than was possibleheretofore;

It is even still further an object of this invention to provide new andimproved systems for positioning fasteners such as described herein withrespect to nail driving tools in order to associate the fasteners withmembers by driving nails therethrough.

It is a further object of this invention to provide tool attachmentshaving improved trigger enabling means for the air tools with which theattachments are made. While we previously disclosed interconnectedfasteners of the type described, as well as attachments with automaticnailing tools that provided automatic means for successively severingeach of the fasteners after they are positioned for fastening by thenails as explained in the previous patent applications, an improved toolattachment for enabling the operation of the tobl for mounting thefasteners is described herein.

Thus, we have provided improved tool enabling equipment for the toolused in mounting the wing headed fasteners.

Other and further objects of this invention will become more readilyapparent from reading the description in light of the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. I is a side elevational view illustrating the invention of thepreviously filed applications used with an automatic nailing tool thatis powered by compressed air;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a portion of the tool attachments of theinvention of the previously filed applications illustrating its mode ofassociation with the automatic nailing tool of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 inFIG. 2 at the portion of that tool attachment of our invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating how a nail fastener is forcedthrough one of the new and improved wing headed fasteners to secure thesame fastener and therefore 'a first member such as a cabinet backing toa second member, such as a cabinet frame;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along a plane passing through the lines 5-5 inFIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows to illustrate how thetool attachment of the first mentioned application cooperates with a keyslot to locate the wing headed fastener and nail in a certain positionrelative to said key slot;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating how our newand improved wing headed fastener is held in position with the wing headsubstantially transverse to the key slot with I its wing portions forcedagainst the backing surface by a nail;

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating our new and improved wing headed fastenerin relation to the key slot in the cabinet backing where the wing headedfastener has an open position (shown by the solid lines) and a closedposition (shown in phantom);

FIG. 8 is a cut away view of the actuating piston member of the air toolillustrated in FIG. I;

v FIG. 9 is a side elevational view illustrating an embodiment of theinventive attachment for use with an automatic nailing tool where theimproved fastener is illustrated in a spaced apart interconnectedrelationship;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the automatic nailing tool with the toolattachment of FIG. 9;

FIG. II is an enlarged fragmentary view of the bottom of the toolattachment of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of FIG. II taken along a plane passingthrough the lines 12-12 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of FIG. 11 taken on a plane passing throughthe line 13-13 and looking in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view illustrating an embodiment of theinvention of this application showing the improved trigger enablingarrangement;

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the automatic nailing tool with toolattachment of FIG. 14;

FIG. I6 is a partial sectional view of the trigger shown in FIG.' 14;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary front view of FIG. 14' showing a portion of thetool attachment;

FIG. 17A is a cross-sectional view taken along line I7A-I7A ofFIG. 17;

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary side view of FIG. 34 showing a portion of thetool attachment;

FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of pertinent portions of thetrigger enabling arrangement; and

FIG. 20 shows variations in slots in and positions of the first memberswherein the inventive tool attachment is especially useful. 7

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts throughout our new and improved wing headed fastenerand tool attachment 12 are shown in FIGS. l-8 in connection with an airtool which is commonly used for driving nails. Exemplary embodimentsthereof have heretofore been illustrated and described in US. Pat. Nos.2,872,901, 3,081,740, 3,081,741, 3,081,742, 3,056,964, 3,056,965 and inthe previously mentioned patent and applications for Letters Patent.

As illustrated in FiGS. 1, 3 and 8, the air tool 14 has a cylinder head16 that is supplied with compressed air to drive a reciprocating piston18 in order that nails 20 which are held in the magazine 22 thereof areforced through an aperture 20a in the tool attachment l2. It will benoted that the tool attachment 12 is associated wi h the lower portionof the air tool 14 by fastening members 12a. The tool attachment 12comprises a pair of apertured plates 13,231 The plates are contiguouslypositioned and form the aperture 20a therebetween for purposes ofenabling the nails 20 in the magazine 22 to be forced therethrough bythe piston 18 upon actuation of the trigger 22a of the air tool 14. Theattachment 12 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 has a pair of spaced apartnoses 15, a, which have inner sides with opposing arcuate edges 17, 17ato receive and hold the wing headed fasteners 10 in position inconnection with the air tool 14.

The wing headed fasteners 10, as illustrated in FIGS. 4-7, are intendedfor use in cooperation with a first member, such as a cabinet backing 23to removably associate the backing with a second member such as acabinet 24 in order that when it is desired to remove the cabinetbacking, the same can be removed without removing the fasteners. Thefirst member or cabinet backing 23 has a key siot 26 which substantiallyconforms to a cross section of our new and improved wing headed fastener10 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

As illustrated in FlGS. 6 and 7, the wing headed fastener 10 has acentral body portion 28 with top and bottom ends 28a,

. 23?), respectively. A pair of wing portions 30, 30a, project from thecentral body portion in opposite directions. The wing portionspreferably have flat upper ends and inclined lower ends 31, 32 havingthe lowest points thereof at the outside and rising upwardly at pointscloser to the central axis thereof. The wing portions 30, 30a arepreferably composed of resilient material such as plastic and the lowestpoints thereof are accordingly deflected upward toward the top end ofsaid wing headed fastener when forced against the cabinet backing 23.Such deflection causes pressure to be exerted on the surface underneaththe fastener to secure the fastener and fastened member.

It will be noted from FIGS. 4 and 6 that the lower ends of the wingportions 30, 30a are rounded so that when it is desired to rotate thefastener, friction is minimized. Also, the central body portion 28 hasan opening 10a with a recess 1C=b formed therein through the centralaxis thereof from the top to the bottom for receiving a nail used toattach the wing headed fastener 10 to the said second member.

In operation, the air tool 14 of the above first filed application, withits magazine filled with nails 20 has an improved wing headed fastener10 releasably held by the attachment 12 as illustrated in FIG. 5. Thecentral body portion 28 of the fastener 10 is held by the arcuate edges17, 17a so that the aperture 10a in the wing headed fastener 10 isaligned with the intended path of the nails 20. Thereafter the noses 15,15a of the tool attachment 12 of the embodiment of FIG. I are positionedin the key slot 26, as illustrated in FIG. 5 in order that the wingheaded fasteners has its wing portions 30, 30a positioned substantiailytransverse to the key slot 26 and therefore in contact with the backingmember 23 of the cabinet 24. Thus, when the air tool 14 is actuated anail 20 is forced through the aperture 20a, the aperture 10a of the wingheaded fastener 10 and finally into engagement with the cabinet 24 asillustrated in FlGS. 4 and 6. When a nail 20 is actuated through a wingheaded fastener it) which is releasably held by the attachment 12, italso causes the wing headed fastener to be released from the arcuateedges 17. 17a.

The wing headed fastener's open and closed positions are iilustrated inFIGS. 5 and 7. In FIG. 7, the wing headed fastener is in its openposition and is in alignment with the key slot 26 in order thatthebacking 23 can be removed from the cabinet without removing thefastener 10. The wing headed fastener's closed position is illustratedin phantom in FIG. 5 and 7 where the wing portions thereof are incontact with the backing of the cabinet in a substantially transverseposition with respect to the key slot in order to secure the backing 23to the cabinet 24. It will be further noted that in order to enable easyrotation of the wing headed fasteners, the nails 20 are driven into thecabinet a predetermined distance which gives optimum pressure on thewing headed fastener in addition to allowing selected rotation thereof,when this is desired.

In FIGS. 9-13 improved embodiments of the wing headed fasteners and thetool attachments are shown. Therein, an automatic nailing tool 34 isillustrated in combination with a series of fasteners 36 which form astrip 37 and are interconnected by means of interconnecting portions orgates 36a. By being interconnected, the wing headed fasteners 36 can beautomatically moved to a position where they can be simultaneouslyseparated from each other and applied rapidly and efficiently in holdingthe members together, as will be explained hereafter.

The nailing tool 34% is patterned after the conventional nailersillustrated in the aforementioned patents and patent applications anddescribed in connection with FIGS. I-8. The air tool is provided with anactuation trigger 39 and a handle 40. A tool attachment 35 is added totool 34 and includes a nail magazine 42 with nails (not shown)positioned therein in order that they can be driven through the mouth ofthe tool.

At the bottom of the tool is a characterized aperture 46 which is shapedto allow the sides of the wing headed fasteners to move from the toolafter the fasteners have been severed and fastened to a member. In FIG.10, the characterized aperture is established, in the front by the pins86, 87 and in the back by shoulders 86a, and 87a in the magazine 48. Afastener 36b is here drawn in the aperture, as the fastener appearsbefore it is nailed in place. The aperture 46 feeds into a channel 47which is formed in the wing headed fastener magazine 48. The channel 47includes undercut slots 47b for receiving the wings 30, 30a of thefasteners to thus slidably receive and capture the strip 37 in thechannel 47. The strip 37 of the fasteners 36 are spring biased on oneend by the spring means 50 and are stopped at the front end by a firstcutofi means 81. The first cutofi means is sandwiched between a fastenerplate 82 and magazine 48. A second cutoff means 83 is located proximateto the fasteners at the front end of the set of fasteners and enableseach of the individual fasteners 36 to be severed after they arepositioned for fastening by the nails as will be explained hereafter.

The channel 47 which with undercut slots 47b is shaped in conformity tothe cross section of the fasteners as illustrated in FIG. 13 has opening52 proximate to the rear end thereof which accepts the set of fasteners36 upon their insertion therein.

The spring means 50 has a pusher member 51 attached to a retainer shaftmember 53 having a rear peg member 54 extending therefrom. The rear pegmember is sized so that it can be moved through the opening 52, as wellas be slidably received in the slots 47b so that the spring means 50 canbe held in place at the rear of the machine by the force of the springpushing member 51 against strip 37 and peg 54, against retaining meanssuch as posts 55.

Handle means such as handle 56 is shown as integral to spring retainershaft 53. It facilitates properly positioning the spring means 50 intoan out of the opening 52. The. spring retaining shaft is journaledthrough journal 57 so that member 51 rides on the shaft to press againststrip 37 responsive to the exertion of the spring force caused by thecompression of the spring means 50 between peg 54 and member 51. Thejournal 57 is slidably contained in groove 47a of channel 47. The shaftis shown broken away for convenience; actually it extends almost theentire length of the magazine 48, that is the length of shaft 53 plusthe length of member 51 reaches from posts 55 to the characterizedaperture 46.

The first cut 011 means 81 is held to fastening plate 82 by pins 86, 137and cooperates with the characterized aperture 46 to locate thefasteners 36 for activation. It will be noted that the second cutoffmeans 83 has a bottom plate 98 which has a protrusion 100 extendingdownward therefrom, as well as a cutter 101 extending upward toward theinterconnecting gate means 360! of each of the fasteners 36 positionedin the characterized aperture 436. The cutoff means 83 is spring biasedaway from the tool by the spring means 102 which is interposed betweenthe machine and the cutoff means 83 at a location where a pair ofreciprocally actuatable piston members (one of which is numbered 104)extend from the nailing tool. Only the spring 102 and piston 104 arevisible in FIG. 9. A second and similar spring and piston is immediatelybehind 102 and 104i and are concealed from view in FIG. 9.

It will be noted that the safety catch 108 of the nailing tool must becompletely depressed for the trigger 39 to be actuated. The safety catch108 is associated with the release lever orpiston 107 to enable thetrigger 39 when the piston 107 is depressed.

Means are provided for depressing the safety catch when the tool isproperly position against cabinet back 23 and relative to the slot inthe first member. A protrusion 99 extends from the fastener plate 82 sothat it can cooperate with a protrusion 101) extending from cuttingmeans 83 to be constrainingly received in a key slot to locate theimproved fasteners 36 in a predetermined location relative to the keyslot and to locate the fastener in order that it can be forced against acabinet backing, or the like, upon the driving of a nail. Thus, when theprotrusions 99, 100 are fitted into a slot in a first member and whenthe protrusions 99, 100 are fitted into a slot in a first member andwhen the wing headed fastener is positioned so that the main bodyportion thereof is clear of the cutter 101, then the second cutter means83 and the piston 107 are depressed to enable the trigger 39.

If the main body position does interfere with the cutter 101, the safetycatch 108 is not released. Thus, if a fastener is present, it must beproperly positioned with respect to the aperture 46. Moreover, theinvention also contemplates an operation of the arm 108 by a fastener50' that the tool will not operate when a fastener is not present withinthe characterized aperture.

Briefly in resume, if the tool is not pressed against the cabinet, oralternatively if a wing fastener is not in proper position, the parts107, 108 (FIG. 9), 116 (FIG. 14) are in the positions shown by solidlines. When the trigger is pulled, the left-hand end of arm 116 israised (as viewed in FIG. 14). The arm 116 pivots about the point whereit is resting on the arm 122. Howeverfarm 116 does not raise far enoughto move pin 117. if the tool is in position and a fastener is in properposition, parts 107, 108 (FIG. 9) and 122 (FIG. 14) raise, (as indicatedin dashed lines for parts 116, 122 in FIG. 14). When the trigger 39 ispulled, the left-hand end raises. The lever 116 pivots about the pointwhere it is resting on the arm 122. This time the pin 117 is pushed, andthe tool is actuated.

To review the operation of the tool 34 and attachments thereof, the setof interconnected fasteners 37 are placed in the slotted magazinecompartment 418 and the spring means 50 is urged against the.interconnected fasteners 37 to position them successively for activationand fastening. The cutoff means 01 and 33 have guillotine-type knifeedges which operate to sever each of the fasteners 36 prior to theirbeing nailed. As each fastener 36 is nailed, another fastener isactuated by the spring means 50 to a position where it is in thecharacterized aperture 416 and ready for nailing. The fasteners arelocated by means of the protrusions 99, 100 as before described.

Turning now to FIGS. 14-40, it is noted that the same type air gun 3 1is shown therein. The attachments 110 include the magazine 40 whereinthe chain of wing headed fasteners 36 is stored. The magazine includes achannel 457 and spring means 50 having handle 56. An aperture 52 islocated at the bottom. rear of the magazine 48 for receiving the chainof wing headed fasteners. A characterized aperture 46 serves to enablethe wing headed fasteners to be forcibly removed from the tool. Afastener 36c is shown in the characterized aperture 46, as the fastenerappears before it is nailed in place. The front of the aperture 46 isdefined by the shoulders 141a and 1411: (which also appear in FIG. 19),and the back of the aperture is defined by shoulders 86a, 87a onmagazine 49.

The gun 34 is equipped with a handle 40, a trigger 39; and a safetycatch 108. The attachments further include the bottom plate 83 having aprotrusion 100, and a cutting means 101 extending upward therefrom. Thebottom plate 83 is joined to the magazine by a pair of reciprocallyactuable piston means 104, 105.

In FIG. 14 trigger 39 is shown in a partial sectional view to moreclearly show an embodiment of the trigger enabling. means 111. As shownin FIGS. 14 and 1.6, the trigger 39 is substantially tongue-shapedhaving an aperture 112 at the front top comer thereof. Aperture 112 isused for pivotally mounting the trigger 39 to handle 40 with anywell-known meanssuch as through the use of a pin so that the trigger 39pivots around aperture 112. A second aperture 113 isshown at the otherend of the trigger. The aperture l 13 is also used to con tain a pivotpin 114. The pivot pin is used to pivotally hold a lever 116 thereto.The lever 116 pivots around pin 114. This lever is what actually pressesagainst the actuating protrusion. 117 of the air valve 118 so that whenthe trigger is pressed air valve 118 causes the air pressure to forcethe nails from the gun through the fastener thus fastening the fastenerto the. second member.

When safety catch 108 is in its normally lower position and trigger 39is operated upward, the protrusion 117 of the air valve 110 is notforced upwardly to operate the valve. Instead, ridges 119 integral totrigger 39 abut against the shoulders 121 of valve 118 before anypressure can be applied to protrusion 117. Thus, the valve does notoperate unless lever 116 is first pivoted upwardly around pin 114 sothat when the trigger 39 is pressed upward, the lever is in a positionto be forced against protrusion 117 before ridges 1 19 touch shoulder121.

Means are provided for enabling the trigger 39. More particularly,safety catch means 108 includes finger 122 which is long enough to reachinto trigger 39 to a position juxtaposed to lever 116; so that if safetycatch 108 is forced upward, finger 122 forces lever 116 to pivot aroundpin 114 into its valve protrusion operating position.

Means are provided for forcing safety catch 108 upward when fastener 36is in position in the slot 123 shown in FIGS. 20a and 2%. Moreparticularly, safety catch 108 can be operated, and forced upward whenbottom plate 83 is pushed upward. Thus, the reciprocally actuable pistonmeans 104 extends upwards sufiiciently to reach a table portion 124 ofsafety catch 108 when plate 83 is forced upwards against spring means102 holding it in its normally lowered position. Spring 102 and pin 10 1conceal spring 103 and pin 105, as viewed in FIG. 14 (see FIG. 17). Pins104, in abutting table 124 force safety catch 108 upwards which in turncauses finger 122 to force lever 116 into its valve operating upwardposition. Thus, when the trigger 39 is then actuated, lever 116 causesprotrusion 117 to be pushed upward and operate valve 118. The nail isthen forced through characterized aperture 46 pushing against fastener36 causing knife cutting edge 101 to sever the connection of thefastener from the strip of fasteners.

Difficulties are encountered in enabling trigger means 39 in thepreviously described embodiments. If the gun has to be positioned withonly one protrusion within slot portion 123b,

such as where the rear of the picture tube prevents proper, positioningof the gun, then it was difficult to enable the trigger. Also where theslot comprises only half of a slot such" as shown in FIG. 20 thesedifficulties were especially amplified.

For example, with the slot as shown in FIG. 20a wherein the first memberhad a slot right at its edge and when the edge of the second member andthe edge of the first member were not aligned but were set parallel toeach other, then often piston 107 would not be pushed down far enoughsince it would abut the second member, and the thickness of the firstmember is sufficient to preclude compression of member 107 unless thetool was held in a particular position.

Similar difficulties were encountered when the first member and secondmember were aligned with common edges, such as shown in FIG. 20b.Therein again, the only time when the previously described embodimentswould work, is if they were held with the magazine against the firstmember such that the protrusion 100 was in the portion of the slot 123k.

The present embodiment of the invention overcomes the difficulties. Moreparticularly, means are provided for enabling the trigger when onlyprotrusion 100 is within slot portion 123b or when only the newprotrusion 127 on reciprocally actuable piston 128 located or heldwithin fastening plate 129 is in slot portion 1231:. Thus, the trigger39 is enabled when either protrusion 100 or protrusion 127 is withinslot portion 12% or when both are in slot portions 121% simultaneously.

Means are provided for enabling the trigger when protrusion 100 iswithin slot portion 1231: abutting the second member. More particularly,pistons 104 are provided which are sufficiently long to reach the tableportion 124 of safety catch 108. Thus, when plate 83 is forced upwardresponsive to protrusion 100 abutting the second member, piston 104abuts table 124 forcing the safety catch 108 up so that finger 122 moveslever 116 into its operating position.

Means are provided in this embodiment for causing safety catch tooperate reciprocally. These means are shown as spring means 147.

Spring means 126, 102 surround pistons 104, and are held between pistons104 and magazine 48 by pins, such as pin 131 1 at the top of piston pin104, 105.

Means are provided for operating the safety lever 108 responsive toprotrusion 127 abutting the second member in extending through slotportion 123b. More particularly, protrusion 127 is mounted on piston128. Piston 128 is a reciprocally actuable piston. As best seen in FIG.19, piston 128 is a cylindrically shaped piston that is longitudinallytruncated. Thus, the bottom of piston 128 comprises portion 128a whichis completely cylindrical. Above the complete cylindrical portion 128ais a longitudinally truncated portion 128b. The portions 128a, 1281;come together at a shoulder 132 which limits downward travel of cylinder128. The shoulder 132 defines the bottom of section 1280 of cylinder128. Similarly, there is a shoulder 133 defining the top of thecompletely cylindrical portion 128a. Trimming cutoff means are providedfor trimming off the uncut gate portion left by cutoff means 101. Moreparticularly, cylinder 128 has a slot 130 with a sharp arcuate edge forreceiving the untrimmed gate portion and slicing it off when thefastener is forced through the characterized aperture.

The trimming means should be clear from a study of FIGS. 17 and 17A.When a fastener 36 is severed from the strip, a guillotine knife edge101 severs the gate 36a. This leaves a short gate stub 3611 on the edgeof the fastener body. The stub 36b is pushed into the hole 130 by themagazine spring 53. When the tool is pressed into its fasteningposition, the cylinder part 128 moves into the part 129. Thus, the edgeof slot 130 trims the stub 36b from the fastener.

A spring receiving hole 134 is located at the top of the cylinsection139 has a characterized cylindrical receiving aperture 141 protrudingrearwardly therefrom. The rearmost portion of the cylindrical receivingaperture 141 forms the front wall of the characterized aperture 46.

Shoulder 132 of cylinder 128 abuts the upper inner wall 142 of thetransverse section 139. Thus, spring 136 holds cylinder 128 normally sothat its shoulder 132 abuts surface M2 of transverse section 139.

A pin M3 reaches from an undercut surface 144 (FIG. 17) in surface 146.Spring means 147 fits over pin 143, and acts to hold safety catch 10% ina normally lowered position.

Safety catch 108 is a plate having a main body section 147a. Extendingupward therefrom is arm 14% which leads to the previously describedfinger 122. Attached to the upwardly extending arm 148 and the main bodyportion 147a is the table portion 124. A peninsular section 149 reachesdownward from the main body portion 147a Extending frontwards and atright angles to the main body plate 147a is tab 151. Tab 151 has anaperture therein, 152, designed to receive pin 143 therethrough so thatpin 143 can extend into the spring receiving hole 134 in cylinder 128.Spring 147 is held between tab 151 and the head 152 of pin 143; thus,spring 147 acts to force safety catch 108 into its normally downwardposition.

In the main body section of safety catch 108 there is found a slot 153.Slot 153 is necessary to enable safety catch 108 to move up and down andaround one of the fasteners holding fastener plate 129 to the gun. Thus,for example, the drawings show fastener plate 129 held in place to thegun and to the attachments 110 using fasteners such as Allen head screws153a, 1531;. Thus, the Allen head screws reach through four apertures infastening plate 129.

Means are provided for guiding safety catch means in its travel from thelowered position to the raised position and back, in response to eitherprotrusion or 127 being in contiguous relationship with a second member.More particularly, a guide plate 154 is provided. Guide plate 154 has achannel therein 156 characterized to fit around peninsular portion 149of safety catch 108. The top of guide plate 154 normally abuts againsttab 151 while the bottom of main body section 147a abuts against ashoulder 158 on ridge 159 of guide plate 154. ln the normal position,the shoulder 133 of cylinder 128 is spaced away from the bottom section161 of guide plate 154. The guide plate is held in a stationary positionby the fasteners 153a and 153b, which pass through apertures 162, 163 inthe guide plates.

Thus, in operation when protrusion 127 is abutted against a secondmember, cylinder 128 is forced upward against its spring 136. The topsurface of the cylinder 128 presses against tab 151 to force safetycatch 108 upward against spring 147 mounted on pin 143. This of course,causes finger 122 to pivot lever 116 to its operating position. Thecylinder 128 is stopped in its upward travel by shoulder 133 abuttingagainst the bottom 161 of plate 154.

Thus, it is shown that the trigger is enabled by the actuation to theupward position of either cylinder 123 or bottom plate 83. Accordingly,the tool is operable when protrusion 100 or 127 jointly or severallyabut the second member.

From the description above, it will become manifest to anyone familiarwith the art that the device is simple in construction, and positive inits function and performance, and although I have shown a specificconstruction and arrangement of the details, I am fully cognizant of thefact that many changes may be made in the material and the constructionwithout effecting the operativeness of the device, and l reserve theright to make such changes as I may deem convenient or necessary withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. A tool that holds clips of nails and operates to individually ejectthe nails for driving the nails into base members:

said tool comprising magazine means adapted to receive an integrallyconnected strip of apertured wing headed fasteners for use in removablyattaching first members such as cabinet backings to said base members;

said magazine having a characterized aperture means shaped to enablepassage therethrough of individual ones of said wing headed fasteners;

' said characterized aperture means located in the path of said drivennails;

feeding means for automatically placing successive ones of the wingheaded fastenersof the strip into position in said characterizedaperture with the aperture of the wing headed fastener in the path ofthe driven nails;

means for separating the positioned wing head fastener from said stripto, enable the separated wing headed fastener to pass through saidcharacterized aperture and be fastened to said base member by saiddriven nails;

7 a first protrusion resiliently mounted on said tool means and locatedto the rear of said characterized aperture;

a second protrusion means resiliently mounted on said tool means andlocated to the front of said characterized aperture;

said first and second protrusion means each having a normal downwardlyextended position for aligning said characterized aperture with slots insaid first members and an upward retracted position;

normally disabled trigger means for selectively operating .the tool todrive individual ones of said nails;and

enabling means operated responsive to the said first or secondprotrusion means being in the upward retracted position for enablingsaidtrigger means.

2. The tool of claim I wherein said enabling means comprises safetycatch means slidably attached to the handle of said tool:

said safety catch means having a normal lower position and an upwardposition;

pivot means at one end of said trigger means for pivotally attachingsaid trigger to said tool;

tool actuation means encompassed by said trigger means;

lever means for abutting said actuation means pivotally attached to saidtrigger means;

- stop means on said trigger means to prevent said lever means fromabutting said actuation means unless said lever means is pivoted upward;and

finger means on said safety catch means juxtaposed to the unpivoted endof said lever to pivot said lever upward when said safety catch is inthe forced upward position.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein resilient means are provided to maintainsaid safety catch in the normal lower position.

4. The tool of claim 3 and a bottom plate means positioned on the bottomof said tool adjacent said characterized aperture, said first protrusionmeans extending downwardly from said bottom plate means:

reciprocating bottom plate piston means extending through said magazinemeans and fixedly attached to said bottom plate means;

. '10 bottom plate spring means surrounding said bottom plate pistonmeans between said magazine means and said bottom plate means formaintaining said bottom plate in a normally downwardly extendingposition; and said bottom plate piston means being of sufiicient lengthto abut said enabling means-toforce said enabling means to the upwardposition whenv said bottom plate is pushed upward to juxtapose saidmagazine means.

5. The tool of claim 4 wherein fastening plate means are provided at thefront of said tool meansfor use in attaching said magazine means to saidtool:

said fastening plate means having a characterized cylinder .receivingaperture at the bottom thereof;

cylinder means reciprocatingly mounted in said cylinder receivingaperture; J

said second protrusion fixedly attached to and extending downward fromthe bottom of said cylinder;

said cylinder having a normal downward position and an upward position;and

tab means on said enabling means maintained juxtaposed to the top ofsaid cylinder whereby when said cylinder is forced upward so is saidenabling means forced upward.

6. The tool of claim 5 wherein said separating means comprises firstcutting means extending upward from said bottom plate whereby when saidbottom plate is forced upward said first cutting means is positioned tocut the gate between consecutive wing headed fasteners from the body ofthe fastener positioned in the characterized aperture; and whereintrimming means are provided at the other side of said characterizedaperture to trim the remains of the gate from the fastener in thecharacterized aperture.

7. The tool of claim 6 wherein said trimming means comprises slot meansin said cylinder:

said slot means having a sharp lower edge; and

wherein said cylinder receiving aperture positions said cylinder toreceive the remains of said gate in said slot means when a wing headedfastener is in said characterized aperture. t

8. The tool of claim 7 wherein said safety catch-comprises a main bodysection; table top means extending normally to said main body sectionand positioned to be abutted by said reciprocating bottom plate pistons.

9. The tool of claim 8 wherein said means for holding said safety catchin a normally downward position comprises pin means extending downwardfrom said handle through said tab means; pin spring means surroundingsaid post means and held compressed between said handle and said tabmeans.

10. The tool of claim 8 wherein said means for holding said cylindermeans in a normally downward position comprises:

an axial hole extending downward from the top of said cylinder;

spring means in said hole; an

wherein said pin means extends into said hole to compress said springmeans.

1. A tool that holds clips of nails and operates to individually ejectthe nails for driving the nails into base members: said tool comprisingmagazine means adapted to receive an integrally connected strip ofapertured wing headed fasteners for use in removably attaching firstmembers such as cabinet backings to said base members; said magazinehaving a characterized aperture means shaped to enable passagetherethrough of individual ones of said wing headed fasteners; saidcharacterized aperture means located in the path of said driven nails;feeding means for automatically placing successive ones of the wingheaded fasteners of the strip into position in said characterizedaperture with the aperture of the wing headed fastener in the path ofthe driven nails; means for separating the positioned wing head fastenerfrom said strip to enable the separated wing headed fastener to passthrough said characterized aperture and be fastened to said base memberby said driven nails; a first protrusion resiliently mounted on saidtool means and located to the rear of said characterized aperture; asecond protrusion means resiliently mounted on said tool means andlocated to the front of said characterized aPerture; said first andsecond protrusion means each having a normal downwardly extendedposition for aligning said characterized aperture with slots in saidfirst members and an upward retracted position; normally disabledtrigger means for selectively operating the tool to drive individualones of said nails; and enabling means operated responsive to the saidfirst or second protrusion means being in the upward retracted positionfor enabling said trigger means.
 2. The tool of claim 1 wherein saidenabling means comprises safety catch means slidably attached to thehandle of said tool: said safety catch means having a normal lowerposition and an upward position; pivot means at one end of said triggermeans for pivotally attaching said trigger to said tool; tool actuationmeans encompassed by said trigger means; lever means for abutting saidactuation means pivotally attached to said trigger means; stop means onsaid trigger means to prevent said lever means from abutting saidactuation means unless said lever means is pivoted upward; and fingermeans on said safety catch means juxtaposed to the unpivoted end of saidlever to pivot said lever upward when said safety catch is in the forcedupward position.
 2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said enabling meanscomprises safety catch means slidably attached to the handle of saidtool: said safety catch means having a normal lower position and anupward position; pivot means at one end of said trigger means forpivotally attaching said trigger to said tool; tool actuation meansencompassed by said trigger means; lever means for abutting saidactuation means pivotally attached to said trigger means; stop means onsaid trigger means to prevent said lever means from abutting saidactuation means unless said lever means is pivoted upward; and fingermeans on said safety catch means juxtaposed to the unpivoted end of saidlever to pivot said lever upward when said safety catch is in the forcedupward position.
 3. The tool of claim 2 wherein resilient means areprovided to maintain said safety catch in the normal lower position. 4.The tool of claim 3 and a bottom plate means positioned on the bottom ofsaid tool adjacent said characterized aperture, said first protrusionmeans extending downwardly from said bottom plate means: reciprocatingbottom plate piston means extending through said magazine means andfixedly attached to said bottom plate means; bottom plate spring meanssurrounding said bottom plate piston means between said magazine meansand said bottom plate means for maintaining said bottom plate in anormally downwardly extending position; and said bottom plate pistonmeans being of sufficient length to abut said enabling means to forcesaid enabling means to the upward position when said bottom plate ispushed upward to juxtapose said magazine means.
 5. The tool of claim 4wherein fastening plate means are provided at the front of said toolmeans for use in attaching said magazine means to said tool: saidfastening plate means having a characterized cylinder receiving apertureat the bottom thereof; cylinder means reciprocatingly mounted in saidcylinder receiving aperture; said second protrusion fixedly attached toand extending downward from the bottom of said cylinder; said cylinderhaving a normal downward position and an upward position; and tab meanson said enabling means maintained juxtaposed to the top of said cylinderwhereby when said cylinder is forced upward so is said enabling meansforced upward.
 6. The tool of claim 5 wherein said separating meanscomprises first cutting means extending upward from said bottom platewhereby when said bottom plate is forced upward said first cutting meansis positioned to cut the gate between consecutive wing headed fastenersfrom the body of the fastener positioned in the characterized aperture;and wherein trimming means are provided at the other side of saidcharacterized aperture to trim the remains of the gate from the fastenerin the characterized aperture.
 7. The tool of claim 6 wherein saidtrimming means comprises slot means in said cylinder: said slot meanshaving a sharp lower edge; and wherein said cylinder receiving aperturepositions said cylinder to receive the remains of said gate in said slotmeans when a wing headed fastener is in said characterized aperture. 8.The tool of claim 7 wherein said safety catch comprises a main bodysection; table top means extending normally to said main body sectionand positioned to be abutted by said reciprocating bottom plate pistons.9. The tool of claim 8 wherein said means for holding said safety catchin a normally downwArd position comprises pin means extending downwardfrom said handle through said tab means; pin spring means surroundingsaid post means and held compressed between said handle and said tabmeans.
 10. The tool of claim 8 wherein said means for holding saidcylinder means in a normally downward position comprises: an axial holeextending downward from the top of said cylinder; spring means in saidhole; and wherein said pin means extends into said hole to compress saidspring means.